12th Century - Goryeo Dynasty, KOREAN Celadon TWIN FISH Barbed Foliate Dish
DIMENSIONS Width: 11.6 cm, ± 0.1 cm Height: 2.8 cm
Weight: 169 grams
DESCRIPTION Korean Goryeo celadon dish of shallow rounded form, slightly oval and irregular from firing, with a hand shaped barbed foliate rim and eight lotus petal divisions to the exterior.
The rim has a finely cut lobed profile, rising and falling slightly when viewed from the side. The exterior is divided into eight rounded sections, giving the dish a structured foliate form. The shape closely follows the prestige vessel language of Chinese Tang and post Tang metalware, especially small silver dishes with barbed foliate rims, shallow profiles and segmented bodies.
The interior is decorated with a pair of opposing fish, likely carp, defined in low relief and with hand incised details. Fine radiating lines around the fish create movement across the centre of the dish, suggesting fish moving through water. The broad rim is further decorated with four small incised cloud motifs spaced around the border.
The dish is covered overall in a glossy green turquoise celadon glaze, pooling softly in the recesses, around the rim and around the foot. Two of the eight sections show a slightly darker grey green tone, visible on both the interior and exterior, caused by uneven firing within the kiln. The glaze contains scattered kiln grit, small inclusions and minor firing specks. The underside has a raised foot rim and three visible spur marks, with kiln adhesions.
The twin fish motif is auspicious. In East Asian visual culture, paired fish are associated with abundance, harmony and successful pairing, including marital harmony. The dish would have functioned as a small presentation vessel, suited to refined courtly, aristocratic, offering or ceremonial use.
CONDITION In excellent original condition for age. Checked under strong UV light. No restoration, no repair, no chips, no hairlines and no cracks. There is one original firing or shrinkage fissure visible to the interior, running inward from the rim area. There are minor original glaze flaws, including small areas of glaze pull back on the rim edge, where iron rich material has fired brown as the celadon glaze receded. Under raking light, a few fine short lines are also visible within the celadon glaze only. There is one glaze flea bite to the foot rim, together with expected firing imperfections, kiln grit, glaze speckling, minor surface scratches and light age related wear.
COMPARATIVE NOTE This dish belongs to the refined tradition of Korean Goryeo celadon produced during the 12th century, when celadon glaze, form and decoration reached a high level of technical and aesthetic sophistication. The barbed foliate rim, shallow dish profile, small scale and eight section structure show the strong influence of Chinese Tang and post Tang silverware. In this example, the disciplined structure of a metalwork prototype has been softened through celadon glaze, hand shaped foliate divisions and incised decoration.
The clear green turquoise glaze, spur marks, lotus petal exterior and twin fish decoration support a 12th century Goryeo attribution. The colour and restrained decoration suggest an earlier and finer phase of Goryeo celadon production rather than a later 13th century dating.
I will not end my eBay auctions early. No Reserve, highest bid when the auction closes will win. Good luck.